Die Hard and the Comfort of Crisis [A Discussion with Slavoj Zizek]
Die Hard and the comfort of crisis [a discussion with Slavoj Zizek] [The interviewer sits, playing with his tape recorder. Zizek enters. They shake hands, and Zizek sits. He drinks from the glass of water already prepared for him.] Mr. Zizek, I’d like to jump straight in, if you don’t mind. Certainly. I actually have a plane to catch later, and I always like to be there at least four hours ahead of the flight. An irritating habit of mine, I’m afraid. Not that strange though. I can’t fly at all. [The interviewer laughs. Zizek doesn’t.] An extreme…interesting. The flying? Yes, your fear of it. Not that you’re alone, but there is, I believe, a construction of weakness within the anxiety of an extreme, or someone who has withdrawn into such an anxiety. [The interviewer puts his right leg on his left knee. Zizek takes a sip of his water.] Well, like you said, it’s not an unusual state… Yes, I agree. But there is still a position of weakness involved, an almost pathetic self abuse or unravelling. I think…I’d say pathetic might be a little strong… Not in the philosophical sense. Still, I’m not sure about the terminology of ‘self abuse’…Jung, I think, said that it wasn’t so much the conscious self that was responsible, but more like a trigger that… Oh yes, the mind is a terrible master, that old debate. I believe I stand with Popper on that one, I’m afraid. There is control, or can be control.
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